I apologize for missing many of your student-led conferences Thursday night.  I hope that you will email or call if you had any questions regarding your child's grades or comments.  You can email me directly from this website or call the school @ 204-324-8206.

Students should spend their 60 minutes of writing finishing:

1. their comic which outlines the different paragraphs/scenes that develop the problem in their story
2. 3 narrative leads - action, reaction and dialogue
3. Choose the best lead, and continue writing from there.  

Make sure to add description, dialogue, action and thoughts and feelings throughout the story!

Have a great weekend,

Mrs. Friesen

Hello Churchill Families
We have had another amazing day - filled with learning, laughter and fun. Snow was falling all day and it was a bit blustery but still a beautiful northern day. The students continue to amaze me and so do our parents. Parents have been so willing to step in to help and keep us all organized.
Our day included:
The morning at the Churchill Northern Studies Center where students had an outdoor interpretative walk learning about the research center and its history as a missile research center which was a research site for American, Canadian and Russian scientists who were researching the northern atmosphere in hopes of learning more about magnetic fields which was interfering with different communication systems. We spent the other part of our morning indoors at the research center learning about the design of the building (it has been designed to be a green building so it will use as little resources as possible). Ask your child about compost toilets that use no water!
In the afternoon, students had an opportunity to explore the souvenir stores so they could make some informed buying decisions before tomorrow's shopping hour. As well, we headed to Parks Canada for an interpretative tour which included learning about the landscape and the history of Churchill.
Then we were off to Cape Merry which is the peninsula where the Churchill River runs into Hudson Bay. There are still 3 large cargo ships waiting in the bay to load grain at the Port which is a place we will visit tomorrow.
One bus load of our group was able to stand on the lookout with the bear guards to view this amazing scenery of tundra, ice, and open water...pretty amazing.
The other bus load had an amazing experience as well...we stayed on the bus because a polar bear was spotted and it was not safe for us to get off the bus.
Highlights of the day (as quoted by students and parents passing by while I write this email)
Amos - "The 3 husky pups that I saw in front of the one gift shop"
Lucas K - "When the conservation officers had to chase away the bear when we were going to Cape Merry and we were trapped in the bus"
Quincy - "The tour of the lab at the Churchill Norther Studies Center. I liked how the building was designed and controlled the temperature"
Wyatt - "Supper...just kidding. Seeing the bear when we were on trapped on the bus"
Brett K - "Playing in the gym and having Sydney hit me in the head with a ball and my face is numb and I have a headache....Mom - he is okay"
Sasha - "Playing volleyball and trying to attempt it"
Kevin - "Playing volleyball"
Reese - "Getting a note from my mom"
Mr. Heppner - "Reconnecting with some friends in Churchill - seeing one of my favorite students - who is now working as a maintenance person at the hospital"
Kyler - "Swimming today - it was really funny - a bunch of guys lined up on one side and a bunch of girls on the other side and we had a fight with rubber duckies."
Parker - "The duck war...winner still to be determined"
Kirby - "Swimming"
Lucas D - "The duck war!"
I have attached a couple of pictures of our day. One of the Churchill Northern Study Center, one of the view of Hudson Bay from the look out at Cape Merry, one of the lookout with the bear guard and a couple of our students and one of the Polar Bear that kept us on the bus.
Our evening has included: swimming, playing in the gym with students from Churchill, and a community Halloween party in the complex. The students have had a great day - they are tired...and so are the adults.
Tomorrow we are off to the Port of Churchill in the morning, then to shop and spend all of our money, and the afternoon will be dog sledding.
See you in a couple of days,
Leanne

Today in Social Studies we began to reflect on the work that we've been doing - essentially, group research where the material has been chosen by the teacher.  To transition into more independent research, we began 'Research 101'.  Our mini lessons will focus on the skills and strategies needed to become an independent researcher, an effective note-taker and how to develop an opinion based on the facts.  For now, students will use the research we've done around poverty in Guatemala and children's rights to begin:

1. asking their own questions
2. using reliable sources such as books, encyclopedias, interview, documentaries, images, news, articles etc.
3. taking effecting notes 

If your child is in Churchill, don't worry, this is not a one hit wonder, but a skill that will be practiced throughout the year.

Conversation Opportunity:  What kinds of research questions did you ask today about poverty in Guatemala and children's rights?  Did you find any answers to your questions?

Hello!  I've missed being at school.  I hope that your kids have been letting you know what's been going on here at school through either conversations or their agendas.

Overdue assignments include:

1. Reflection re: Poverty in Guatemala
2. 2 pieces of finished, typed writing (ELA)
3. Map of Central America

This morning we spent some time considering unexpected places we could find poetry, for example: in the dust bunny hiding under the couch.  To some, this dust bunny represents an unkept house, but to me, it means extra time with the ones I love take priority over obsessing about perfection.  

Conversation Opportunity:  What did you find unexpected beauty in today?  What did you write your poem about?

Please check in with your child regarding a Learning Fair letter that will be sent home today.  Ask your child where they will be going and what curiosities they will be bringing to this day.

Have a great afternoon,

Mrs. Friesen  

1.  50-60 minutes of writing which can include

a) *Assessment*  Social Studies Reflection (good copy due Tuesday) which must include a discussion of students knowledge of, thinking and wondering about i) poverty in Guatemala  ii) needs versus wants and iii) comparing my life to those of Guatemala's poor

b) finish 2 started pieces

c)  edit 2 finished pieces

d) free write

Social studies:
We are considering having a 'poverty lunch' to see, on a very small scale, how our lives might be different if we were living in poverty in Guatemala.


Conversation opportunity:  Would you be willing to step into someone else's shoes for a day?  Would you be willing to eat a moderate breakfast and supper, and beans for lunch and examine how you feel throughout the day?
Have a great long weekend and enjoy the extra time with your families!
Mrs. F

  (

Hi everyone!  I just got a head's up from Mrs. Nicholson that tomorrow students will have a short Math assessment that will cover ORDERING DECIMALS!  

Students seem to be re-energized after the weekend!  What a great day to dig into our writing & uncovering more solutions to the problems of poverty seen  in Guatemala.

Weekly Homework: 2 hours of reading (1/2 hour per night from Monday - Thursday

ADDITION!!!


Conversation Opportunity:  Your child has spent some time considering what they need and how that compares to the 'wants' that they have in their homes/lives.  Example)  I need food and I get that at home, but I have an IPad, and that is just a 'want' - An IPad does not fit into my basic survival needs.  Go through your child's list of needs vs. wants and talk about whether you agree or disagree with their list.

Goal: Students will choose 2 of their best pieces to publish (these are independently edited).  These pieces will be a reference for what their writing looked like in September and will make an interesting comparison for their June writing.  The purpose is for students to be able to reflect on their growth throughout the year and which lessons have stuck and pushed them as writers.

This week students have started many pieces of writing.  Students are making a lot of progress with their quick writes.  We are up to 10 minutes of solid writing, followed by 2 minutes of rereading and editing to improve the piece in some way.  We have studied the cycle of poverty and discussed possible solutions.  We spend some time 'researching' efforts made by the Red Cross to provide solutions for the poverty and violence in the Santa Isabel II community.  In Citizenship student viewed a video which asked, "What's your spark?"  Check it out below.  Friday students will be testing out their Tin Can Telephones.  Groups will compete for best phone.

Tomorrow I will be in Winnipeg for Reading Apprenticeship training.  Students will have Mr. Art Wiebe as their guest teacher.  

HOMEWORK: 45-55 minutes of writing  (1. Complete 1-2 pieces of writing that you've started.  2.  Edit 1-2 old pieces of writing.  3.  Choose 2 pieces of writing that you'd like to share during a coffee house - edit.  4.  Free write using your brainstormed lists of ideas or something new.)

Videos:
12 year old talks about her ‘spark’ (4 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B7XOWx2rd4
Spencer West (7 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoB_Z4wsbIM 



Links for Social Studies:
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/photo-gallery/2012/guatemala-photo-gallery-2012-06-05.htm  (follow and read the slide show)